226 ACANTHOPTERYGII. 



VII. FAMILY OF RIBAND-SHAPED FORM. 

 T^NIOID^. 



Representatives in British Fauna. — Gen. 5. Sp. 5. 



Gen. 32. Lepidopus. Sp. 55. L. argyreus. Scabbard-fish. 



33. TAicHiURUS. . 56. r. lepturus. Silvery Hair-tail. 



34. Trachypterus. 57. T. jBo^^j/Mzrzw. Vaagmaer. 



35. Gymnetrus. 58. G'. /fatf^-twsM. Hawkins' Gymne- 



trus. 



36. Cepola . . 5Q. C. rubescens. Red Band-fish. 



This extraordinary Family, as exhibited in the 

 Regne Animal^ is by no means a large one, consist- 

 ing, as more amply illustrated in L'Hist. Nat, des 

 Poissons, of but seven genera and twenty -six species. 

 It is nearly allied to the preceding ; but the form 

 is very much elongated, and more flattened sidewise ; 

 it is also clad with minute scales. Concerning it, 

 Mr. Swainson remarks, " It contains the most 

 singular and extraordinary fishes in creation. The 

 form of the body, when compared to fishes better 

 known, is much like that of an Eel, the length be- 

 ing in the same proportion to the breadth ; but then 

 it is generally so much compressed, that these crea- 

 tures have acquired the popular name of Rihand- 

 Jlsh^ Lath, or Deal-fish. The body, indeed, is often 

 not thicker, except in its middle, than is a sword ; 

 and being covered with the richest silver, and of 

 great length, the undulating motions of these fishes, 

 in the sea, must be resplendent and beautiful be- 



